The health benefits of high antioxidant foods have become increasingly appreciated by greater segments of the population. Scientific studies suggest that certain plant compounds that act as antioxidants in foods may reduce the risk of many kinds of illness, from heart disease to cancer.
Cocoa comes from cacao beans (or cocoa beans), which grow on the cacao tree. Cocoa beans are full of polyphenolics and other natural plant nutrients. The polyphenolics, also called flavanols, have a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The antioxidants found in cocoa have been linked to certain hallmarks of good cardiovascular health such as enhanced blood flow, healthy cholesterol levels and, in some cases, reduced blood pressure. In fact, two tablespoons of natural cocoa have more antioxidant capacity than three cups of green tea, a half cup of blueberries or a glass of red wine.
However, the high level of polyphenols also contributes to a highly bitter taste. As a result, high loading of cocoa powder in foods to obtain maximum benefits of the antioxidants from the cocoa is generally limited in order to make those foods more palatable. High levels of cocoa powder also generally necessitate changes to product formulation and introduces processing difficulties, causing significant losses in antioxidant levels as a result of the processing.
A method and product are desired to deliver high levels of cocoa antioxidant with minimal undesirable modification of the taste, formulation or process of the food product containing the cocoa.